A busy motorway remains closed today after a biker was shot dead as he rode home from a motorcycle festival.

It is believed the victim was a Hells Angel in his 30s who was gunned down on the M40 in Warwickshire after visiting the Bulldog Bash biker festival 20 miles away at the Long Marston airfield, near Stratford.

Warwickshire Police said large sections of the M40 are expected to remain closed in both directions until at least lunchtime today.

A police spokeswoman said detectives had ruled out a road rage type attack and were treating it as murder.

Officers want to trace a green Rover 620 car seen travelling south on the M40 close to a group of motorcyclists at around the time of the incident. Police would like to speak to the driver and occupants of this car.

The spokeswoman said the force was opening inquiries into whether or not the biker had been specifically targeted.

The Bulldog Bash is billed as Europe's number one biker party and attracts tens of thousands of motorcyclists and music fans from across Europe. This year Status Quo headlined the event.

The biker's death is not being linked to any incidents at the Bulldog Bash. Organiser of the bash, 56-year-old Hells Angel "Bilbo", told reporters: "I knew the lad and you couldn't wish to meet a better person.

"We are used to deaths as bikers because people die in accidents. But we don't expect someone to get shot.

"This is murder plain and simple and we have no idea why this happened. We're just devastated."